Background
The incidence (as in occurrence) of severe Type 1 allergic reactions is largely unknown and information about triggering allergens, aggravating factors, demography of patients and medical care is lacking. A European wide registry could provide a powerful tool to improve the management of severe allergic reactions from both a medical and a public health perspective. Analysis of existing registers regarding the type and quality of data being collected was used to develop a plan for a pan-European registry, including the type of system to be used, the range of data to be entered and the people able to enter and analyse such data.
Purpose of the Registry
This pan-European registry will improve considerably the way allergies/allergens, in particular food allergies/allergens, as a common cause of severe anaphylaxis, are managed in Europe. For risk managers in the public and private sectors, sound and reliable data on the occurrence of such reactions will indicate the size of the problem, help prioritisation and provide essential feedback about the effectiveness of allergen management practices. For legal authorities, such a registry could help food allergen surveillance by flagging reactions due to unexpected allergens in commercial food products as a result of incorrect labelling or cross-contamination. It could also highlight the (high) proportion of adverse reactions attributable to food that is sold unpacked, and which therefore is not legally required to have an ingredients labelling.
Objectives of the Workshop
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Draft a proposal on development of a pan-European registry for severe allergic reactions, which is going to be submitted to the EC under the 7th Framework Programme
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Identifying collaborators
A summary report of the Mini-Workshop will be produced and published in the ILSI Europe Report Series.
To download the programme of the workshop, click here.
For more information: info@ilsieurope.be